Identification of Nickel Laterite Deposit in Hukurila Ambon Based on Electrical Resistivity Tomography Data

Abstract Nickel reserves in the Hukurila area are laterite nickel deposits from the weathering ultramafic rocks. The layers in laterite nickel deposits show different percentages of element values, where the focus point is the saprolite and limonite zones with a large percentage of nickel elements. This research examines the structure of nickel laterite deposits below the surface. Each layer in laterite nickel deposits has a different resistivity value, this means that the structure of the limonite and saprolite layers below the surface can be studied easily using the electrical resistivity tomography method, this method can describe differences in resistivity values below the surface so that the distribution of resistivity values in each layer of laterite nickel deposits in the Hukurila area can be determined. The Wenner-Schlumberger configuration has a good level of resolution vertically and can describe subsurface conditions well laterally which is used in this research. After conducting research, it was found that the resistivity value for each limonite and saprolite layer was 0 – 100 Ωm for the limonite layer and 100 – 400 Ωm for the saprolite layer. And the volume for the two layers is: 165,589.5 m 3 for the limonite layer and 124,076.5 m 3 for the saprolite layer, volumetric calculations estimate both layers have nickel reserves of 16,956,313 tons for the limonite layer and 14,516,951 tons for the saprolite layer. This geophysical approach highlights the utility of ERT in mineral exploration, particularly in mapping nickel resources critical for sustainable energy solutions.